Tackling device.



J. H. ASHTOYN.

TACKLING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 17. 1915.

1,176,730, Patented Mar. 28,1916.

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JOHN H. ASHTON, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

TAGKLING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

Application filed November 17, 1915. Serial No. 61,921.

T all 'ic/wm it may concern:

Be it known that I. Join H. ASHTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tackling Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device adapted for training, drilling, and practising football players. At present tackling dummies are used for this purpose, but are so supported as not to afford the proper resistance necessary to train and develop a player.

The essential objects of my invention are to overcome the above defect; to impart a positive motion to the dummy; to impart such a motion to the dummy as to correspond with a player circling the end; to make it possible to control at will the degree of speed of the travel of the dummy; to furnish a positive resistance to a downward drag of the dummy which will develop the power of the player to down an opponent; to check excessive strain upon the apparatus when the dummy is released by a player; and to attain these ends in a simple, inexpensive, strong and easily operable structure.

To the above ends essentially my invention consists in such parts and combinations of parts as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my novel device showing a portion of the mast and its support in central section, Fig. 2, a similar elevation in partial longitudinal section of the extremity of the suspensiontarm, and Fig. 3, a central vertical section of the top of the mast and the adjacent portion of the horizontal arm.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the views.

My device comprises a hollow mast 1 preferably of metal whose lower end may be inserted in the earth or a concrete base, or it may rest in a tubular standard 2 provided with end flanges 3 and 4: and embedded in the earth. Pivotally mounted upon the mast is a bracket member comprising an arm 5 and brace 6. The connection of the former with the mast is as follows: A sleeve 8, loose within the top of the mast has an annular shoulder 9 which rests on a circular bearing portion 10 on the mast. The pivotal member 8 has, above the shoulder, a lateral tubular extension 12 inclosing the end of vthe tube 13 which constitutes a part of the arm 5. The tube 13 is brazed thereto in the present instance but it may be integral therewith or rigidly fixed thereto in any convenient manner. The arm 5 is completed by having brazed to'its outer end, or otherwise fixed thereto, or integral therewith, a tube 15 having av depending portion 16 wherein the tubular opening is enlarged forming an area. 18. A socket 20 integral with the member 15 is disposed at an acute angle with relation to the arm 5 and receives one end of a tube 21 which forms a part of the brace 6. and whose other end is brazed into a socket 21- integral with a ring 26 loose on the mast 1 and resting on an annular shoulder 28 upon the latter. Projecting laterally from the socket and ring is a horizontal socket 30 in which is fixed a handle 32. The frame or bracket 5. 6, is therefore, rotatable on the mast 1 by manually pushing the handle por-- tion 32. A collar 34 on the mast above the sleeve may be fixed by a pin 35 or otherwise.

On a transverse pintle 37 in the wall of the section 8 is a pulley. or roller 38; and a pulley or roller 39 is mounted in open area 18 of the depending portion 16 of the arm 5 upon a pintle 10 fixed transversely in said portion.

In a projection 4.2 on the member 8 is a pin 43 having an eye- 45 to which is attached one end of a depending flexible member 47 which passes beneath a pulley wheel or roller 48 in a pulley block 50, and which passes thence upwardly over the roller 38, and'then horizontally through the arm 5 over the roller 39. and then downwardly depending some distance below the pivoted frame. The member 47 may be a cable, rope or other strong fleX-.

ible agent. Upon the depending end of this member is a snap hook 49 adapted to detachably engage a ring 50 fixed to the top of a dummy 51 of any usual convenient size and construction. In the present instance the dummy is stuffed with sawdust and comprises a body 52 and legs 53. A counterweight 55 for the dummy is suspended in the mast and attached to the pulley block 50 of the movable pulley. The weight is cushioned by a helical spring 57 upon which the bottom end of the Weight contacts, which spring in turn rests upon and is supported by a transverse rod 59 fixed in the mast.

In operation the coach grasps the handle 32 and rotates the frame at any desired speed to impart proper momentum to the dummy. The player'then throws himself against the dummy, grasping the latter with his arms and exerts himself to pull and throw the dummy prostrate on the ground which requires that he overcome the weight of the counterweight.

What I claim is 1. In a tackling device, the combination of a mast, a dummy, and means intermediate the dummy and mast for moving the dummy in a curved path.

2. In a tackling device, the combination of a mast, an extension member pivotally mounted on the mast, a depending flexible member supported by the extension member, and a dummy on the flexible member.

3. In a tackling device, the combination of a mast, an extension member pivotally mounted on the mast, a yielding flexible member supported by the extension member, and a dummy on the flexible member.

a. In a tackling device, the combination I of a mast, an extension member pivotally mounted on the mast, a depending flexible member supported by the extension member, a dummy on the flexible member, and an operating member upon the extension member.

5. In a tackling device, the combination of a tubular mast, an extension member comprising a tubular arm pivotally mounted in the mast, a flexible member in the mast extending through the tubular arm and depending therefrom, a dummv on the depending end of the flexible member, and a. counterweight within the mast engaging the flexible member.

7. In a tackling device, the combination of a hollow mast, a hollow extension member pivotally mounted on the mast, anti-friction rollers in the extension member, a pulley block in the mast, a flexible member engaging the pulley block and passing over the rollers and depending from the end of the extension member. a dummy on the depending portion of the flexible member, and

a counterweight attached to the block.

8. In a tackling device, the combination of a hollow mast, a hollow extension member pivotally mounted in the mast, antifriction rollers in the extension member, a pulley block in the mast, a flexible member engaging the pulley block and passing over the rollers and depending from the end of the extension member, a dummy on the depending portion of the flexible member, a counterweight attached to the block, and a spring in the mast in the path of the counterweight.

In testimony whereof I have af'rixed my signature.

JOHN H. ASHTON. 

